Alone
by Punk Trash Noiz
Summary: Nothing is the same for Komaeda, now that Hinata is gone. He was once used to the feeling of being alone, but he grew complacent, and he put his trust in Hinata. Now, he's suffering the consequences. Was he ever meant to be close to anyone? Sequel to Disclosure, set considerably after, during the time after Hinata disappears. Mentions of KomaHina.


It had been months since Komaeda had last seen Hinata. He often thought back to their last interaction, and wished that he could've stopped Hinata from leaving. He hated that Hinata hadn't told him where he was going or why. He'd promised that they'd see each other again, and that he would finally be worthy. Worthy of what? Komaeda loved everything about Hinata, and he didn't understand what Hinata could want to change about himself. He missed him so much, and every day without him hurt. He hadn't bothered fighting against his expulsion after the bomb incident, because being at Hope's Peak without Hinata made him feel empty.

But now he was finally back, and he felt his heart breaking all over again as he had to be back at the place where he and Hinata had met, and fallen in love. He sometimes wished that he had never come to this school, or that he had never met Hinata. He wished he'd been a better person. Maybe then Hinata wouldn't have left. Hinata had promised that he would come back, but he had lied. Or maybe he'd realized that Komaeda wasn't worth coming back to. He couldn't blame Hinata, but it still hurt.

Komaeda did his best to act normal. He didn't think he was being very convincing, but his classmates didn't notice anything different. He wasn't sure if they'd even noticed his absence...except for Nanami, maybe. She'd taken the time to welcome him back. She truly was a symbol of hope. It was beautiful, how she'd managed to bring everyone together. He knew that she'd become a good friend of Hinata's, near the end. He wondered if she missed him too.

Sometimes, he had breakdowns. He would cry and hyperventilate and he would claw at his own skin. The red marks contrasted greatly with his pale, unhealthy skin. He wondered what Hinata would think. He wondered if Hinata would care. Hinata had left him.

"Do you know what happened to Hinata-kun?" Nanami asked him one day. They had taken to spending their breaks together, on the days that her attention wasn't being demanded by one of their other classmates. He wasn't sure why she bothered with him. He supposed he should just be grateful for the company.

"Not at all," Komaeda forced a cheerful tone and his usual spacey smile. Nanami frowned slightly at him.

"Are you okay, Komaeda-kun?" she asked after a moment. His smile faltered. He was sure that she noticed.

"Of course!" he lied to her. She sighed, though she looked unsurprised at his answer.

"I miss him, too. But… we'll see him again, someday...I think," Nanami spoke. He wished that he could think that way as well. What had happened to his hopeful outlook?

"Maybe you're right." He certainly wished that she was.

"Please take care of yourself. Hinata would want that," she seemed concerned for him. How odd.

"I think that maybe we never really knew what he wanted, after all," was all that he could say. "I have to go study. Thank you for spending time with me."

Komaeda started to walk away, but Nanami grabbed his arm. He looked down at where her hand was gripping him with an expression of surprise and confusion. She looked a bit surprised too, as if she'd acted on impulse. But then her expression shifted into one of determination.

"I'm your friend, Komaeda-kun. Please take care of yourself, for me. I want to believe that we'll all be okay. I want to believe that Hinata-kun will come back. Don't give up on hope. You've always cared so much about it."

He couldn't help but cave under her intense but caring gaze. It wouldn't do for someone like him to worry her. He would have to be a bit more careful.

Then it suddenly hit him what she had said. "Friend?"

He had been lucky enough to have Hinata as a friend. There was no way that Nanami, the biggest hope of their class, could consider him a friend. At the same time, it did make sense. She was just that caring. That was one of the reasons why everyone loved and respected her. She had the ability to make everyone feel important. Still…. he didn't want to taint her, and he certainly didn't want to get attached to her. That would only make it hurt more once she inevitably left him like Hinata did.

"Yes," she confirmed quietly. "So don't feel too alone."

"...Thank you," he muttered, looking away from her. She finally left go of his arm, and he quickly made his escape. He could feel her gaze burning into his back as he walked away.

 **Author's Note: well shit, two different fanfics in one day? i'm feeling generous. okay but this one is more of a drabble honestly, it's so short. it's a sequel to disclosure, i suppose. it's set like whenever in DR3 when hinata disappears to become kamukura, and komaeda's expelled for a while but then comes back? yeah. also i'm so here for komanami friendship? can this be a thing?**


End file.
